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Love puppies? Consider becoming an IT professional.
Why not a vet? While being a veterinarian is an incredibly rewarding job, IT professionals play an equally vital role in supporting the development, manufacturing, and distribution of the vaccines and medicines that keep animals healthy and extend their lives.
No one knows this better than the people at MSD Animal Health IT, where various IT professionals are the innovators and change-makers working behind the scenes to support pioneer science, technology, and insights-driven solutions for a world where pets thrive and sustainable food production is ensured.
MSD's Animal Health IT division is a community of passionate individuals, united by a common goal to improve lives, whether helping veterinarians treat animals or ensuring farmers and pet owners have the tools to safeguard animal well-being.
But what exactly do IT professionals in MSD Animal Health do? Expats.cz spoke with three team members at the company’s Prague headquarters to discover how their work helps deliver life-saving treatments to pets, livestock, and communities worldwide.
While some of their work remains confidential, these MSD employees provided an intriguing look into the rewards, motivations, and challenges of those helping to get critical animal medicines to where they’re needed most.
Justina Ivanauskaite: The Algorithm magician
As the lead data scientist at Animal Health IT Advanced Analytics MSD, Justina manages a multinational team of 15, solving complex business challenges through math and algorithms. Originally from Lithuania, with a Master’s in econometrics from the University of Amsterdam, her team supports drug discovery, clinical trials, manufacturing, supply chain, commercial, and animal monitoring.
For Justina, the job is about more than just algorithms—it’s about using math to solve various business problems, which subsequently impact the health of animals.
Her role involves applying algorithms to help determine the best active vaccine ingredients, clinical trial effectiveness, and supply chain and manufacturing processes. “It’s like cooking—determining the right ingredients and portions for a vaccine,” she explains.
In high school, I was not the coolest person, because I loved math. I was a nerd. I’m still a nerd, loving math even though now I am a team lead and spend most of my time collaborating with people. Well, this is ‘Revenge of the Nerds,’ right? Because if you love math and science, you get the best job in the end.”
She values MSD’s culture of collaboration and respect, and says the company’s strong focus on personal growth is one of the main reasons she loves working there.
“When I first became a team lead, I realized I needed to strengthen my communication and leadership skills. MSD provided the training I needed to do that,” she says. Justina is now focused on shaping talent strategy at MSD’s Prague hub and lecturing at universities to attract new talent.
Outside of work, Justina enjoys dance, particularly reggaeton, contemporary, and salsa, which she practices with her chemical engineer husband. Her passion for learning and deep connection to MSD’s mission drive her professionally and personally.
Lars Vonk: The UX Innovator
Lars Vonk, associate director of user experience at MSD, is dedicated to making work easier and more enjoyable for employees. His role often leaves colleagues joking, “Nobody actually knows what Lars does.”
With a Master’s in International Economics and Business from Utrecht University, Lars focuses on optimizing the usability of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and streamlining business processes.
It’s his job to simplify complex workflows by eliminating unnecessary documentation and improving operational efficiency. In industries like vaccine manufacturing, where precise documentation and approvals are crucial, his contributions reduce administrative burdens, allowing teams to concentrate on what matters: innovation and product development.
The biggest reward is seeing people adopt the change and feel better about themselves because they focus on their strengths and what they want to do. I love it. That’s what brings me joy every day.”
At MSD, Lars thrives in the company’s culture of collaboration and respect. He values the openness within his team and the opportunity to connect with colleagues at all levels. “MSD makes it easy to share ideas and make an impact right away,” he says. Regular face-to-face meetings with UX experts fuel his creativity and problem-solving.
Lars stays active by exercising outside of work and enjoys the camaraderie of playing board games with friends, many of whom are his colleagues. “One of the best things about MSD is the relationships we build—we often unwind together with a beer after work,” he adds.
Angeliki Katsarou: The Data Geek
Angeliki Katsarou, associate director of master data management at MSD, ensures customer data accuracy across different platforms of an overall complex technical landscape. She is part of the Intelligence Automation and Enterprise data team. Angeliki harnesses the power of Master Data Management (MDM) tools to create a comprehensive and unified view of MSD customers.
For MSD, implementing an effective MDM strategy can significantly enhance customer insights, streamline operations, and improve decision-making processes. With a Bachelor’s in Economics from the University of Piraeus, Greece, her role is key to supporting cross-functional teams for operational efficiency.
Her team manages data for different customer types, ensuring consistency across platforms. Harmonizing data across systems like ERP, Salesforce, Data Hubs, is a daily challenge.
“It’s like solving a massive puzzle every day,” she says. “It’s also crucial to understand user personas across the whole customer data journey to support a user experience that balances user desires with technology capabilities,” she adds.
In her role, Angeliki focuses on Customer Master Data efforts as it relates to MSD’s new CRM transformation. She collaborates closely with business and IT partners to identify and interpret commercial, sales, and marketing customer master needs in executable technical solutions.
Articulating the project’s objectives is also important in my role. When stakeholders understand the goals and benefits of a project, they are more likely to engage, support, and contribute to its success,” she says.
She enjoys the constant learning opportunities technology provides. “I started my MSD journey by being part of the finance department, but I enjoy my current role in IT more because it’s always evolving, and I can see the impact of what I do,” she says.
Outside of work, Angeliki stays active with beach volleyball, Pilates, and painting classes. A standout moment for Angeliki was a volunteer event where she saw the real-world impact of her work.
“We visited a farm that utilizes innovative monitoring technology tags developed by MSD that track a range of metrics, from temperature to mood, enabling farmers to make data-driven decisions that enhance animal welfare and farm productivity. For the first time, I could see the direct impact of what I do. It was so exciting.”
MSD Animal Health is part of a global community making a tangible difference in the lives of animals and people alike. Ready to be part of that change?
